Index-tab.



Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

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U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VERRENICE MUNGER AND C APEL s. CARTER, or ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To THE E. o. COOK COMPANY, OF ANSONIA, V CONNECTICUT, vA CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

INDEX-TAB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 19 13.

Application filed February 8, 1910. Serial No. 542,811.

T 0 all 'whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, VERRENICE MUNCER and CHAPEL S. CARTER, both residents of the city of Ansonia, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Index-Tabs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to index tabs and its object is to provide a device of thischaracter which can be used on card indexes, book indexes and folders for vertical filing systems, also as an indicator, signal or marker on the edges of cards or sheets of paper, or on a plurality of the same and for such other uses as may suggest themselves.

\Vith these objects in view the invention consists of a clip or clamping portion carrying a label, signal, marker or like device.

The essential features of the invention are embodied in the devices set forth in the following description and accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to corresponding parts.

In the drawingszFigures 1 and 2 are front and rear views respectively of the index tab mounted on the edge of a. card; Fig. 3, a vertical section taken on line x% in Fig. 2, the card being removed; Fig. 4, a side view of the clip before the parts are assembled, and Figs. 5 and 6, side and rear views respectively of the label before the parts are assembled.

The tab proper comprises the clip A and the label B, as shown in Fig. 3, and is adapted to be slipped over the edge of the card C as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The clip A is anade out of a single piece of sheet metal folded on itself to form the front. plate a, the back plate I) and the bend c. A portion of the front plate a is slit longitudinally and bent inwardly to form the spring tongue (I, and a portion of the back plate 5 is likewise slit and bent to form the spring tongue 6 disposed laterally or alongside of the tongue (Z. The metal forming the clip is bent in a manner to form a space or pocket at the top inside the bend 0. which space contracted toward the mouth of the clip where the front plate a and the back plate I) are held to gether by the resiliency of the metal thus forming a pair ofspring jaws f and g.

The label B comprises an uppeu or exposed portion h and is cut away at its lower extremity to form the depending portion or leg la. The upper portion is provided with a transverse slot Z and the lower portion with a longitudinal slotm. The

label may be made out of any suitable material such as paper, metal, celluloid or the like but we prefer to make the same out of stiff paper having its upper portion folded over a sheet metal reinforcing piece n as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.-

To assemble the tab the clip A is sprung slightly to permit the front plate a to be passed through the slot 1 in the label then the clip is drawn downwardly until the bend Crests in the slot Z and the back plate 6 covers the rear side of the leg is. When thus assembled the slot 1 in the leg is will register with the slot formed-by the tongue 6 in the back plate I) so that the tongue 0 passes through the slot m and holds the label against the lateral movement relative to the clip. The bend c passing through the slot Z also holds the label against longitudinal movement. The two slots Z and m being v disposed at an angle to each other taken together with the gripping or clamping action of the clip, about to be explained, firmly hold the label and clip together.

To attach the tab to the card C the mouth of the clip is placed over the edge of the card and the tab forced downwardly until the edge of the card slides into the pocket striking the inside of the bend c. The tab thus mounted on the card is securely held in place not only -by the grip-of the jaws f and g at the mouth of the clip but also by the twist given to the card by the Offset tongues (Z and 6. This manner of clamping the card prevents lateral or cornerwise displacement but permits the card to be withdrawn longitudinally when suflicient pull is exerted, thus the tab cannot be aOJ-identally knocked off the edge of the card which is a common defect in this class of devices.

It will be observed that while the label is a separate constituent part of the tab yet no separate means are required to fasten it to the clip since the clamping action of the latte performs the double function of holding both the card and the label. It will be further observed that the ready manner of assembling the device permits the labels to be interchanged on different tabs.

From the above description of the preferred form OfOUI' invention it is obvious that the same is susceptible to such modifications as may fairly come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having now described our invention Whatwe claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

An index tab comprising a clamping member made out of a. single piece of sheet metal folded on itself to form a pair of yieldinggripping members one of which is slit longitudinally and bent inwardly to form :1 spring tongue, combined with a label provided ,With a transversely disposed slot below whicnis a depending pertion Eire 15 vided with a longitudinal slbt, the said clamping member being passed through said first mentioned slot so that the depending portion of the label Will be confinedfibeiiween said gripping members and Said spring tongue will pass through the second inil'k tioned slut.

VERRENICE MUNGER, CHAPEL S. CARTER. lVitnesses:

ADA 'M. GESNEB, WALTER A. HOLDEN. 

